Endless pattern controlling means for knitting machines



Dec. 12, 1961 G. H. NOLL ETAL 3,012,426

ENDLESS PATTERN CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE H. N044. M/aHA EL A PE 7K0.

A TTORNE Y Dec. 12, 1961 G. H- NOLL ETAL 3,012,426

ENDLESS PATTERN CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1961 IN VEN TOR. GEORGE H. NOLL.

MICHAEL A. PE TKO. fa zmfl A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,012,426 ENDLESS PATTERN CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES George H. N 011 and Michael A. Petko, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Wildman Jacquard Co., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 82,222 7 Claims. (Cl. 66-154) This invention relates to improvements in the mechanism for controlling endless patterns used in the production of fabric designs on circular type knitting machines.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a novel means for positive and effective stripping of the endless programming cards from rotatably mounted pattern drums over which they are guided.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a novel programming card receiving container functioning in conjunction with the stripping means and means provided therein for assuring smooth and positive reception and delivery of the programming card into and from the container to the pattern drum.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

The means for stripping endless type programming cards from rotatably mounted pattern drums and the type of card containers adapted to hold excessively long pattern cards and which are disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,696,092 have not performed with complete satisfaction in that the wire type strippers used with the rotatably mounted pattern drums become distorted after a period of time and fail to perform their intended function.

The type of card container used in conjunction therewith likewise has presented many problems such as the card being attracted to the solid walls of said container thus causing frictional drag upon the card as it is being fed to the pattern drum. Additionally, the cards have a tendency to be attracted to themselves as a result of static electricity thus disrupting the ease and smoothness with which a programming card should be drawn from the container onto the pattern drum and thence returned into said container.

According to the invention of the instant case strippers of plate-like form are employed for guiding the programming cards off the pattern drum and toward the novel container disposed beneath said drum. The upper limits of these plate-like strippers conform generally to the circular shape of the pattern drum and fit into circumferential grooves at each end of the drum. When assembled in this manner, the top portion of the stripper plate is within the outer surface of the drum over which the programming card is guided and assures positive removal therefrom as the drum is rotated.

The container into which the programming card is then guided comprises solid side walls with open front and rear walls. While the term solid has been applied to the side walls, that is used to indicate a substantially solid wall as against the open front and rear parts of the container. Obviously, the side walls may be perforated or otherwise lightened but are not open to the extent the front and rear are. The side walls are interconnected by spaced rollers which in turn are interconnected by at least two equally spaced runners conforming generally to the shape of the container. Guide wires protrude beyond the upper limits of the container itself for the purpose of guiding the programming card onto the rotating pattern drum and from said drum back into the container. The card is withdrawn outwardly from the bottom of the container thence upwardly over the equally spaced runners of the open front. The front and rear Walls of the container being of open construction offer less resist- 3,612,426? Patented Dec. 12, 1961 ance to a moving card in that the card does not have a tendency to become attracted to the walls as is the case when containers are used similar to the one disclosed in the above United States patent. Additionally, the guide wires extending beyond the upper limits of the container itself serve to prevent the programming card from being attracted to itself when it is in the process of being drawn onto the pattern drum and prevent the card from ballooning as it leaves the pattern drum which if not so guided, could possibly become entangled with unprotected mechanisms of the knitting machine.

The invention will be described in greater detail in the following disclosure wherein reference is made to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the pattern drum showing the stripper plates mounted beneath the drum with their top surfaces positioned within the circumferential grooves on each end of the drum. Additionally, a portion of the containers upper limits is illustrated showing its position in relationship to the pattern drum.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the various components shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the invention showing the rotatably mounted pattern drum, stripper plate, card container, guide wires extending beyond the upper limits of the container and the general position assumed by the programming card as it is fed into and withdrawn from the container.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3 showing the open construction of the front and rear walls of the container.

Now referring to the figures of drawing, a pattern drum 10 is rotatably mounted on a knitting machine in a manner well known to those conversant with the art and rotates in the direction of the indicating arrows shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The drum 1% has the usual sprocket teeth 11 for guiding and advancing the endless programming card 12 mounted thereon. inwardly of sprocket teeth 11 and adjacent thereto each end of the drum 10 is provided with circumferential grooves 13 which are adapted to receive the upper concave surfaces of stripper plates 14. The stripper plates 14 are mounted beneath the pattern drum 10 in any suitable manner such, for example, as that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein screws 15 pass through angularly disposed elongated openings 16 and thence into tapped holes on the ends of mounting block 17. Assembled in this manner angular adjustment of the plates is provided assuring positive assembly of the upper suriaces of said plates within the circumferential grooves 13 of pattern drum 1%. The programming card 12 is withdrawn from a card container generally indicated by numeral 18 in FIGS. 3 and 4. This novel container 18 comprises solid side walls 19 open front and rear wall construction generally indicated by numeral 20 in FIG. 4. The solid side walls 19 are interconnected by spaced rollers 21 and they in turn are interconnected by at least two programming card guide runners 22 equally spaced from the sides of the container and extending upwardly from the bottom to conform generally to the shape of a container. Additionally, guide wires extend beyond the upper limits of the container and will hereinafter be more fully described. The bottom of the container (not shown) is constructed much in the same manner as the open front and rear walls, there being at least two equally spaced card guide runners interconnecting the lower rear and lower front rollers 21. The programming card is withdrawn outwardly from the container through an opening 23 formed by adjacent rollers 21 positioned at the lowermost part of the containers front wall. Within the container itself and adjacent to opening 23 baffle plates 24 and 25 are fixedly positioned as shown in FIG. 3 for the purpose of rendering sufiicient resistance to the programming card to assure smooth and positive movement of the card as it is withdrawn therefrom. The card 12 is then drawn upwardly over the guide runners 22 and rollers 21 which comprise the containers open front wall; it is then drawn over a front guide wire 22' thence between a front guide plate 26 and a rear guide plate 27. The guide wire 22' at the front of the container which extends beyond the upper limits of said container assumes a position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which extends beyond the rear guide plate 27 and is in pressing relationship therewith. The front guide wire assembled in this manner serves to guide the programming card 12 to the guide plates 26 and 27 and additionally prevents that portion of the card that is leaving the pattern drum and returning into the container rom being attracted to itself as a result of static electricity. There is attached to front guide plate 26 two vertically extending arms 28 which are positioned in line with the outer ends of the pattern drum 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The upper portion of arms 28 conform generally to the circular shape of the pattern drum 10 and serve to guide the programming card 12 as it advances therebetween. The rearguide wire 22" that protrudes beyond the upper limits of the container extends as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 generally vertical to a point equivalent to the horizontal center line of the pattern drum 10. That portion which extends beyond this point conforms to the circular shape of the drum to serve as a guide for the programming card as it advances therebetween to be returned into the container.

Additionally, this rear guide wire prevents ballooning of the programming card as it leaves the pattern drum a condition which has been prevalent especially with pattern drums of the constantly rotating type. Mounting brackets 29 are provided on the container and are attached in any suitable manner such, for example, as spot welding to the upper portion of the side walls 19. The container is easily attached and detached from a knitting machine by passing the enlarged holes 30 providedin the mounting brackets over the heads of the outwardly projecting screws 31 and then allowing the slotted-portion of holes 30 to rest on the shanks of the screws.

In operation the bulk of the programming card 12 is retained within the container 18 and assumes a position therein conforming generally to that illustrated by FIG. 3. The card is withdrawn from and returned into the container by means of the driving perforations (not shown) running longitudinally along each edge of the programming card 12. These driving perforations are in meshing relationship with the sprocket teeth 11 of the rotating pattern drum 10. As the card is being withdrawn, it passes over baflle plate 25 and thence under bafile plate 24, FIG. 3. The baffle plates positioned in this manner offer sufficient resistance to the moving card to assure smooth and positive withdrawal of said card through opening 23. The card then travels upwardly on the outside of the container over the guide runners 22 which offer very little resistance to the movement of the card because of said containers open front design. Wires 22 and 22 continue to guide the card beyond the upper limits of the container to a point where said card passes between adjacent front and rear guide plates 26 and 27. The card is then received by the rotating pattern drum whose sprocket teeth 11 pass through the driving perforations that run longitudinally along each edge of the card and advance said card in a manner well known to those familiar with the art. The vertical arms 28 whose upper limits conform to the circular shape of the drum guide the programming card thereon as it is being advanced. Stripper plates 14 being disposed beneath the rotating pattern drum 1t) and being in meshing relationship with the circumferential grooves 13 tend to strip the advancing card from said drum whereupon it is guided ba k into t e on e y g e e 2 t t form a part of the open rear wall of said container. Additionally, this rear wire offers another significant feature in that the uppermost part of the wire which extends beyond the upper limits of the container and which conforms generally to the shape of the rotating pattern drum, guides the programming card therebetween before it is stripped from said drum and prevents ballooning of the card off the drum during rotation thereof.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of Ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling with the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. For a circular knitting machine having a rotatably mounted pattern drum and an endless programming card mounted thereon, a programming card receiving container disposed beneath said pattern drum, pattern stripper plates engageable-in circumferential grooves at both ends of-said pattern drum for engaging that portion of said programming card which moves off the pattern drum to strip it therefrom, guide means projecting upwardly from the back of said container and in pressing relationship with said programming card against said pattern drum to guide said card into said container and to prevent ballooning thereof as it is stripped from said drum.

2. For a circular knitting machine having a rotatably mounted pattern drum and an endless programming card mounted thereon, a programming card container which comprises in combination means for receiving endless lengths of said programming cards, side walls with open front and rear walls having guide means affixed between said side walls to facilitate reception of said card into said container and delivery of said card from said container to said rotatably mounted pattern drum.

3. For acircular knitting machine, a rotatably mounted pattern drum'and an andless programming card mounted thereon, stripper plates assembled beneath said pattern drum and engageable in circumferential grooves at each end of said drum for'contacting the edges of that portion of said programming card moving off the pattern drum to strip it therefrom.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein a guide means at the front of said container projects upwardly to said pattern drum to guide said programming card thereon and to prevent attraction to itself as it moves off the drum and into said container.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein said stripper plates are angularly adjustable to maintain proper positioning of said plates in the circumferential grooves of said pattern drum.

6. For a circular knitting machine, a rotatably mounted pattern drum and an endless programming card mounted thereon, a programming card receiving container disposed beneath said pattern drum comprising in combination side walls with open front and rear walls, said side walls being interconnected by spaced rollers, said spaced rollers being interconnected by at least two generally vertical card guiding means conforming generally to the shape of said container and extending beyond the upper limits of the same for guiding said programming card onto said pattern drum and from said drum as it is stripped therefrom back into said container.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said vertical card guiding means are comprised as strip-like runners and shaped wire members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

